300 Physical description
- Susan F. Wyssen
- Michael Austin
- Enrique Diaz
The physical description of the item in hand, consisting of extent of the item and its dimensions. Use this field for physical details of the item and information concerning accompanying material.
indicators: both blank
subfields: $$a - Extent (R)
$$b - Other physical details (NR)
$$c - Dimensions (R)
$$e - Accompanying material (NR)
$$a Extent
punctuation: No punctuation mark precedes this subfield, except a decimal point before an arabic numeral.
This subfield is used to record both the extent of the item in hand and the physical shelf-space in linear feet that the item will occupy. In order to do both, two subfields are entered for each record.
First $$a: This is a measurement of the linear feet of the item as it will sit on the shelf once it has been end-processed. It precedes the item-extent $$a with no punctuation. The measurement entered will depend on how the item will be housed; check end-processing documentation for measurements of standard boxes, pre-fabs, and other containers. If necessary, estimate the approximate linear feet by measuring the width of the volume or height of the stack of leaves. Note: 1/4 inch is approximately .02 linear feet.
Second $$a: This is a measure of physical volumes, boxes, items, leaves, or pages. In general, only leaves or pages of early manuscripts are counted; for most single-item manuscripts acquired by Houghton, enumeration is not necessary. If the binding and/or other physical features of a manuscript merits description, this should be entered in a 500 note.
examples:
300 __ $$a 1 linear foot $$a (1 box) [typical description for 1 Paige box]
300 __ $$a .3 linear feet $$a (1 box) [typical description for 1 Hollinger box]
300 __ $$a .04 linear feet $$a (1 volume) [typical description for 1 small pre-fab folder]
300 __ $$a .08 linear feet $$a (1 volume) [typical description for 1 medium pre-fab folder]
300 __ $$a .05 linear feet $$a (1 letter; 2 folded sheets)
In cases where a page count for a modern, bound manuscript is necessary or desirable, we use the style shown in the examples below. If the manuscript is already correctly foliated or paginated, use that number. Otherwise, if feasible, count the leaves disregarding blanks at front and back. Any large number of blank pages in the manuscript should be counted in the foliation but mentioned as blank in a 500/505 note. Do not use square brackets but rather express in words when numbered and unnumbered leaves are both counted.
examples:
300 __ $$a 1 volume (23 leaves) [Counted or numbered in the original manuscript]
300 __ $$a 1 volume (63 pages) [Pages numbered in the original manuscript]
300 __ $$a 1 volume (circa 300 leaves) [Leaves difficult or time-consuming to count]
300 __ $$a 1 volume (numbered leaves 81-149) [Numbered leaves beginning on folio 81]
300 __ $$a 2 volumes (56, 35 leaves) [First volume 56 leaves, second 35 leaves]
300 __ $$a 1 volume (4 unnumbered, 38 numbered pages) [Denoting 4 unnumbered pages (with significant writing on them; otherwise don’t count) preceding 38 numbered ones. In this case, count the pages, recto 1, verso 2, etc. not leaves]
300 __ $$a 1 volume (2 unnumbered, 17 numbered leaves ) [Denoting 2 unnumbered leaves (with significant writing on them; otherwise they wouldn’t count) preceding 17 numbered ones. In this case, count the leaves not pages]
300 __ $$a 1 volume (10 items) [For example a volume of letters or tracts]
For unbound modern items (i.e., where the housing is a matter of end-processing only), follow the examples below.
examples:
300 __ $$a .04 linear feet $$a (1 folded sheet) [a single folio]
300 __ $$a .1 linear feet $$a (12 leaves in 1 gathering) [leaves sewn or unsewn, with or without a paper cover]
300 __ $$a .05 linear feet $$a (2 letters; 3, 8 unnumbered leaves) [here, two letters; count total number of leaves]
300 __ $$a .08 linear feet $$a (1 drawing)
For medieval and renaissance manuscripts, count all leaves or sheets. Do not rely upon any numeration present in a manuscript, whether original or added later. Supply any such collation in a 500 note. Include in the extent original raised flyleaves, original flyleaves used as pastedowns or free-end endpapers, and blanks. Do not include in the total extent canceled leaves, or modern flyleaves and endpapers (AMRMM 5B2). The extent is reported using the following style:
examples:
300 __ $$a .2 linear feet $$a (54 leaves, bound) [single volume of 54 leaves bound in any style, e.g. contemporary or modern]
300 __ $$a .1 linear feet $$a (12 leaves, unbound) [12 loose leaves]
300 __ $$a .04 linear feet $$a (1 leaf) [for a single, unfolded loose leaf]
300 __ $$a .08 linear feet $$a (1 bifolium) [for a manuscript consisting of only two conjugate leaves. If the item is a set of folded leaves, do not describe it as 3 bifolia, rather describe as 6 leaves]
300 __ $$a .08 linear feet $$a (2 sheets) [unbound legal document consisting of 2 sheets; legal documents are described in terms of numbers of sheets]
300 __ $$a .3 linear feet $$a (4 items; 8 sheets) [several unbound documents with multiple sheets total]
300 __ $$a .5 linear feet $$a (1 roll) [manuscript roll; we do not describe the extent of the constituent parts of the roll here but rather in a 500 note if possible/relevant]
$$b Other physical details
punctuation: This subfield is preceded by a space and a colon.
This subfield is used to describe further characteristics of an item, for example if the material on which the item is written is not paper, or if illustrations or maps are included. This subfield is optional, and if used should be brief; further explanation may be included in a 500 note. Artwork and maps should be reflected in an 006.
As with subfield $$a this subfield should not be used to describe the housing (case, box, etc.) in which the item is kept.
examples:
300 __ $$a .1 linear feet $$a (1 leaf) : $$b vellum
300 __ $$a .04 linear feet $$a (1 drawing) : $$b on slate
The term “illustrations” should be used in the case of a manuscript in which pictures accompany and illustrate the text (in the fashion of a printed book); and also for a medieval illuminated manuscript where the illumination is actually pictorial. Do no use for head or tail pieces unless these illustrate the text on the page.
example:
300 __ $$a .2 linear feet $$a (1 volume) : $$b illustrations
If a single-item manuscript includes a manuscript or printed map, it should be listed here.
example:
300 __ $$a .15 linear feet $$a (1 volume, 12 leaves) : $$b maps
$$c Dimensions
punctuation: This subfield is preceded by a space and a semicolon. No abbreviations, but note that "cm" when not followed by a period is not considered an abbreviation but rather a symbol.
This subfield contains the dimensions of the item.
Give the measurement of the item in centimeters rounded up to the next whole centimeter. Never round down, even if the item is only slightly over the centimeter mark. Typically only the height of the item is measured. Bound items should have the binding measured, not the text block.
For both bound and unbound items, include the width in the measurement if it is less than half the height or greater than the height, width follows height in the measurement (i.e., height x width). If the manuscript is kept folded, add the dimensions when folded (AACR2, 4.5D1). For visual material and for some single leaves, give both height and width in centimeters. It may also be desirable to record the dimensions of the pictorial area. If there are items of different sizes, use the height or other dimensions of the largest one and add the words "or smaller".
Normally do not record the size of the housing (e.g., a case or pre-fab) of a manuscript here. Do this in a 500 note.
examples:
300 __ $$a .1 linear feet $$a (2 leaves) : $$b illustrations ; $$c 20 x 35 cm, folded to 20 x 15 cm
300 __ $$a .2 linear feet $$a (56 leaves) ; $$c 28 cm
$$e Accompanying material
punctuation: Preceded by a space and a plus sign ("+").
This subfield is intended to describe accompanying material other than that listed in the subfield $$a. It is a loose field for single-item manuscripts, but can be useful. It can include a note about a seal accompanying a medieval document, or a photograph enclosed with a letter. Use this field for any envelopes accompanying letters.
examples:
300 __ $$a .2 linear feet $$a (40 leaves, bound) : $$b vellum ; $$c 25 cm + $$e seal
300 __ $$a 3 leaves $$a (.1 linear feet) ; $$c 14 cm + $$e photograph
300 __ $$a 6 leaves $$a (.1 linear feet) ; $$ 12 cm + $$ e 2 envelopes
Though not required, this field can also include a parenthetical addition describing the extent or dimensions of the accompanying material.
examples:
300 __ $$a .2 linear feet $$a (1 volume; 56 leaves) ; $$c 25 cm + $$e photograph (11 x 16 cm)
300 __ $$a .4 linear feet $$a (2 volumes; 120, 134 leaves) ; $$c 28 cm or smaller + $$e letter (3 leaves, 14 cm)